Wire harness with wire and protective material

ABSTRACT

A wire harness that is capable of protecting a wire even if a pipe is damaged includes: a wire disposed in a pipe; and a protective material surrounding and protecting a predefined portion of the wire, the predefined portion being disposed within the pipe. This configuration places the protective material on a portion that is likely to be damaged in the event of, for instance, a collision of a vehicle, thereby capable of protecting the wire even if the pipe is damaged. This configuration is also capable of avoiding the diameter of the pipe being increased for the process of passing the wire through the pipe, because the wire in this configuration is passed through the pipe with greater ease than a wire surrounded by a protective material along its entire length of the wire.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a wire harness.

BACKGROUND ART

A known, conventional type of wire harness includes a pipe and wiresthat are disposed in the pipe for protection. A wire harness describedin Patent Document 1, for example, is for installation in a vehicle andincludes multiple wires collectively disposed in a pipe for protection.

CITATION LIST Patent Documents

Patent Document 1: JP 2004-171952A

SUMMARY Technical Problem

To enhance vehicle safety, there has been the desire in recent years toprotect electric wires so as to prevent damage to the wires upon animpact significant enough to break the pipe in the event of, forexample, a collision of a vehicle. In other words, there is demand forprevention of damage to the sheaths of the wires even if the pipe isdamaged, to thereby avoid situations where the wires may short-circuit.

Preferred embodiments have been achieved in view of the circumstancesdescribed above and has an object of providing a wire harness capable ofprotecting a wire in the event of breakage of a pipe.

Solution to Problem

A wire harness according to one aspect f a preferred embodimentincludes: a wire disposed in a pipe; and a protective materialsurrounding and protecting a predefined portion of the wire, thepredefined portion being disposed within the pipe.

Advantageous Effects

The preferred embodiments places the protective material on a portionthat is likely to be damaged in the event of, for instance, a collisionof a vehicle, thereby capable of protecting the wire even if the pipe isdamaged. The present invention is also capable of avoiding the diameterof the pipe being increased for the process of passing the wire throughthe pipe, because the wire in the present invention is passed throughthe pipe with greater ease than a wire surrounded by a protectivematerial along the entire length of the wire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a wire harness according to afirst embodiment as installed in a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway view of the wire harness as installed in thevehicle, showing how protective materials are locally attached to thewire harness.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the protectivematerial as attached on a wire.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the wire harness with wires surrounded bythe protective materials, the view corresponding to a cross sectiontaken along line A-A in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged sectional view of the wire harness,showing a configuration of an end portion of a pipe.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the wire harness, showing theconfiguration of the end portion of the pipe, the view corresponding toa cross section taken along line B-B in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a wire harnessaccording to a second embodiment, showing a configuration of an endportion of a pipe.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the wire harness, showing theconfiguration of the end portion of the pipe, the view corresponding toa cross section taken along line C-C in FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Some preferred embodiments are described below.

A wire harness according to a preferred embodiment may include aplurality of wires disposed in the pipe, the protective material beinginsulating and being placed individually on all the wires. Thisconfiguration is capable of preventing a short circuit of the wirebecause the protective material is present in place of an insulationsheath of the wire even if the sheath is damaged.

The protective material in the wire harness according to a preferredembodiment may be made of high-strength fiber. This configuration canachieve a thin and strong reinforcing material, thereby capable ofproviding enhanced protection for the wires and preventing difficulty inpassing the wires through the pipe.

The protective material in the wire harness according to a preferredembodiment may be placed on a portion of the wire that is located on aninner side of an edge of the pipe. In this configuration, the protectivematerial protects a portion of the wire that contacts the edge of thepipe; thus, a protector for covering the edge of the pipe can beeliminated.

First Embodiment

An embodiment is described below in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to6.

A wire harness 10 according to the present embodiment is a high-voltagewire harness that electrically connects devices M1 and M2 that may be abattery, an inverter, or other devices that constitute an electric drivesystem installed in an electrically driven vehicle, such as a hybrid caror an electric car. Routed under a floor of a vehicle body outside abody frame, the wire harness 10 connects the device M1 located in afront portion of the body to the device M2 located in a rear portion ofthe body.

The wire harness 10 is a pipe harness that includes a pipe 12 that ismade of metal for protecting a wire 11 from external damage due toflying stones or the like and for blocking electromagnetic noise toprevent adverse effects on the surroundings of the pipe 12. The wireharness 10 also includes a plurality of wires 11 (two wires in thepresent embodiment) disposed in the pipe 12. Each of the wires 11 has apredefined portion (hereinafter referred to as protected portion 13)that is located within the pipe 12 and is surrounded and therebyprotected by a protective material 14. The protective material 14 isdescribed in detail below.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the wire 11 is a widely known type of wirethat includes a conductor 15 surrounded by an insulation sheath 16 andhas a circular cross section. The wire 11 is a high-voltage wire withthe insulation sheath 16 colored orange. As illustrated in FIG. 2, thetwo wires 11 are disposed in the pipe 12 together, with both endportions of each of the wires 11 protruding from the pipe 12. Theportions of the wires 11 that protrude from the pipe 12 are surroundedby a shield material 17 and a covering material 18 that haveflexibility. A terminal fitting (not shown) is connected to each of theend portions of the wires 11. The terminal fittings are housed inconnectors C that are respectively connectable to one of the devices M1and M2.

The shield material 17 is, for example, braided wires made by braidingmetal fine lines into a tubular shape. The covering material 18 is, forexample, a corrugated tube. As illustrated in FIG. 5, an end portion ofthe shield material 17 is secured on an outer circumference side of thepipe 12, in a manner that can allow conduction, by a clamp ring 19 madeof metal.

The pipe 12 is an elongated metal pipe having a circular cross sectionand is bent in three-dimensional directions in accordance with thelayout of components such as the devices M1 and M2. In the presentembodiment, the pipe 12 is an aluminum pipe painted orange, having atotal length of about 2.5 m. A major length of the pipe 12 is placed ata middle portion, in a width direction, of an underside of the floor ofthe vehicle body, with the end portions of the pipe 12 routed throughthe cabin of the vehicle to locations near the devices M1 and M2.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, a protector 21 is attached on each of the endportions of the pipe 12. The protector 21 is a resin molding forpreventing the wires 11 from contacting an edge 12E of the pipe 12 andthereby preventing damage to the insulation sheaths 16 of the wires 11.The protector 21 has a tubular shape fittable on an inside of the pipe12 and is secured thereon with locking protrusions 22 provided on anouter circumferential surface of the protector 21 engaging locking holes23 formed through the pipe 12. The protector 21 is present along theentire circumference of the edge 12E located at an opening of the pipe12.

A grommet 24, made of rubber, is attached from the covering material 18,which surrounds the shield material 17 for protection, to the endportion of the pipe 12, thereby preventing entry of water into the pipe12. The grommet 24 is secured to the covering material 18 and the pipe12 by fastening a tie 25 on the grommet 24.

The protective material 14 provides insulation and has high strength,excellent impact resistance, and good flexibility. The protectivematerial 14 is made by braiding high-strength fiber (for example, aramidfiber or other types of high-strength fiber having excellent impactresistance and cut resistance) into a tubular shape. The total length ofthe protective material 14, approximately 20 cm in the presentembodiment, is much shorter than that of the pipe 12. The protectivematerial 14 has an elongated tubular shape with its entire circumferenceclosed and both ends open and is stretchable to some extent in its axialand width directions. The protective material 14 has an inner diameterequivalent to an outer diameter of the wire 11. The protective material14 has a thickness equivalent to or smaller than that of the insulationsheath 16; the thickness of the protective material 14 is about 0.3 mmin the present embodiment. The thickness of the protective material 14is smaller than that of the protector 21, thus eliminating the need totake measures such as increasing the diameter of the pipe 12.

The protective material 14 is provided individually on all the wires 11disposed in the pipe 12. The protective material 14 is placed on theprotected portion 13 of each of the wires 11; the protective materials14 are in the same location on all the wires 11. The protected portion13 is a known portion; in the present embodiment, it is a portion of thewire 11 that is likely to be damaged in the event of a side crash of thevehicle. The protected portion 13 is defined based on an assumption thata frame structure (not shown) near the pipe 12 is deformed due to theside crash, thereby hitting and damaging the pipe 12. As illustrated inFIG. 2, the protected portion 13 according to the present embodimentcorresponds to a forward end portion of a length of the wire 11 that isrouted along the underside of the floor; i.e., a bent portion directedupward from under the floor. The protective material 14 is secured tothe protected portion 13 of the wire 11 by winding a tape 26 around endportions of the protective material 14 in the axial direction.

An example assembly process for the wire harness 10 according to thepresent embodiment is described below.

The protective material 14 is attached on the protected portion 13 ofeach of the wires 11. To attach the protective material 14 on the wire11, the wire 11 is passed through one end of the protective material 14and pulled out from the other end. The protective material 14 is thenmoved over the wire 11 to the position of the protected portion 13 andsecured on the protected portion 13 by winding the tape 26 around theend portions of the protective material 14. This procedure is repeateduntil all the wires 11 are equipped with the protective material 14 onthe respective protected portions 13.

Then, the wires 11 are inserted into the pipe 12. Specifically, thewires 11 to be inserted into the pipe 12 are collected and passedtogether through one end of the pipe 12 and pulled out from the otherend. When the wires 11 are passed through the pipe 12, the protectedportions 13 (i.e., the protective materials 14) are brought in contactwith one of the protectors 21 located on the end portions of the pipe12, causing some resistance. After passing the protector 21, the wires11 are moved through the pipe 12 relatively smoothly.

Then, the connectors C are connected to the end portions of the wires11. Specifically, the terminal fitting is connected to the end portionof the wire 11 protruding from the pipe 12. The terminal fitting is theninserted into one of the connectors C so as to be housed therein. Theconnectors C are connected to end portions of the wire harness 10 inthis manner. Note that the shield materials 17 are clamped and thecovering materials 18 and the grommets 24 are attached before theconnectors C are connected.

Then, the pipe 12 is bent into a predefined shape. The wire harness 10is provided with bends, following the layout of the vehicle body.

The assembly process for the wire harness 10 is completed in thismanner.

When the assembled wire harness 10 is secured in place on the vehiclebody, the protective materials 14 are in predefined positions of thevehicle body (near a portion of the frame structure that is likely todeform during a side crash). If the frame structure deforms and damagesthe pipe 12 during a side crash, the protective materials 14 protect thewires 11 in the location where the pipe 12 is damaged, and are thuscapable of preventing damage to the wires 11. Even if the insulationsheath 16, which is surrounded by the protective material 14, is damagedin a severe collision, the protective material 14 can prevent a shortcircuit of the wire 11 because the protective material 14, providinginsulation, surrounds the conductor 15.

Operation and effect of the embodiment having a configuration asdescribed above are described below.

In the wire harness 10 according to the present embodiment, the wire 11disposed in the pipe 12 has the protected portion 13 within the pipe 12,the protected portion 13 being a portion that is likely to be damaged inthe event of a collision of a vehicle. The protected portion 13 issurrounded and thereby protected by the protective material 14. Thisconfiguration is thus capable of protecting the wire 11 even if the pipe12 is damaged. This configuration is also capable of avoiding thediameter of the pipe 12 being increased for the process of passing thewire 11 through the pipe 12, because the wire 11 in this configurationis passed through the pipe 12 with greater ease than a wire 11surrounded by a protective material 14 along the entire length of thewire 11.

Additionally, the protective material 14 provides insulation and isplaced individually on the two wires 11. This configuration is capableof preventing a short circuit of the wire 11 because the protectivematerial 14 is present in place of the insulation sheath 16 of the wire11 if the insulation sheath 16 is damaged.

Moreover, the protective material 14 is made of high-strength fiber.This configuration can achieve a thin and strong reinforcing material,thereby capable of providing enhanced protection for the wires 11 andpreventing difficulty in passing the wires 11 through the pipe 12.

Second Embodiment

A wire harness 30 according to a second embodiment is described belowwith reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

The wire harness 30 according to the present embodiment is differentfrom the wire harness according to the first embodiment in that aprotective material 14 is placed on a portion of a wire 11, the portionbeing located on an inner side of a pipe 12 with respect to an edge 12Eof the pipe 12 (hereinafter referred to as pipe-edge protected portion31). Structural features similar to those in the first embodiment aredesignated with identical symbols, and their description is omitted.

As in the case with the first embodiment, the wire harness 30 accordingto the present embodiment includes two wires 11 disposed in the pipe 12,and a protected portion 13 of each of the wires 11 is surrounded andthereby protected by a protective material 14, the protected portion 13being located within the pipe 12. The protective material 14 is made ofhigh-strength fiber, provides insulation, and is placed individually onthe two wires 11, as in the first embodiment.

The protective material 14 is also placed on a portion of the wire 11,the portion being located on the inner side of the pipe 12 with respectto the edge 12E (i.e., the pipe-edge protected portion 31), in additionto the protected portion 13. The protective material 14 here is the sameas that attached on the protected portion 13. As illustrated in FIG. 7,the protective material 14 is placed so as to straddle an outer side ofthe pipe and the inner side of the pipe 12, with the edge 12E of thepipe 12 located at a middle portion of the protective material 14 in theaxial direction.

As described above, the present embodiment includes the protectivematerial 14 on the protected portion 13, thereby capable of protectingthe wire 11 even if the pipe 12 is damaged due to a collision of avehicle or other reasons, as in the first embodiment. The presentembodiment also includes the protective material 14 on the portion ofeach of the wires 11, the portion being located on the inner side of thepipe 12 with respect to the edge 12E. If the wire 11 contacts the edge12E of the pipe 12 repeatedly due to vehicle vibration, displacement ofthe wire 11 in the pipe 12, or other factors, a contacting portion ofthe wire 11 is protected by the protective material 14. The protector 21for covering the edge 12E of the pipe 12 can thus be eliminated.

Other Embodiments

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described abovewith reference to the drawings; for example, the following embodimentsare also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

(1) While the protective material 14 is made by braiding high-strengthfiber into a tubular shape in the embodiments described above, this isnot a limitation. The protective material may also be a material thatlocally surrounds and can thereby protect a wire and may be, forinstance, a heat-shrinkable tube.

(2) While the protective material 14 is made by braiding high-strengthfiber in the embodiments described above, this is not a limitation. Theprotective material may also be a nonwoven fabric or may be made bymolding a resin material, PET resin, or the like containing ahigh-strength fiber.

(3) While the protective material 14 has a tubular shape in theembodiments described above, this is not a limitation. The protectivematerial may also have, for instance, a sheet shape.

(4) While the pipe 12 is made of metal in the embodiments describedabove, this is not a limitation. The pipe may also be made of resin.

(5) While the protective material 14 is secured on the wire 11 bywinding the tape 26 on the protective material 14 in the embodimentsdescribed above, this is not a limitation. The protective material 14may also be secured by heat sealing.

(6) While the wires 11 disposed in the pipe 12 are high-voltage wires inthe embodiments described above, this is not a limitation. The wiresdisposed in the pipe may also be low-voltage wires or both ahigh-voltage wire and a low-voltage wire. If a high-voltage wire and alow-voltage wire are both present in the pipe, the protective materialmay be placed on, for example, only the high-voltage wire to prevent ashort circuit of the high-voltage wire.

(7) While the protective material 14 is provided individually on thewires 11 in the embodiments described above, this is not a limitation.The protective material 14 may also surround multiple wires together.

(8) While the protected portion 13 is a portion that is likely to bedamaged in the event of a side crash of a vehicle in the embodimentsdescribed above, this is not a limitation. The protected portion 13 mayalso be a portion that is likely to be damaged in the event of, forinstance, a frontal crash or a rear-end crash, or upon any other impactin a non-collision event.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   10, 30 Wire harness-   11 Wire-   12 Pipe-   13 Protected portion (predefined portion disposed within the pipe)-   14 Protective material-   31 Pipe-edge protected portion (portion located on the inner side of    the pipe with respect to the edge)

The invention claimed is:
 1. A wire harness, comprising: a wire disposedin a pipe; and a protective material that is made of braidedhigh-strength fiber and that surrounds and protects a predefined portionof the wire, the predefined portion being disposed within the pipe. 2.The wire harness according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of wiresdisposed in the pipe, the protective material being insulating and beingplaced individually on the wires.
 3. The wire harness according to claim1, wherein the protective material is disposed on a portion of the wirethat is located on an inner side of an edge of the pipe.
 4. A wireharness, comprising: a pipe including an inner circumferential surface;a wire disposed in the pipe; and a protective material surrounding andprotecting a predefined portion of the wire that is disposed within thepipe, a vacant space being present between an outer circumferentialsurface of the protective material and the inner circumferential surfaceof the pipe.
 5. A wire harness, comprising: a pipe having an innerdiameter; a wire disposed in the pipe; and a protective materialsurrounding and protecting a predefined portion of the wire that isdisposed within the pipe, wherein an outer diameter of the protectivematerial is smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe, and a vacantspace is present between the protective material and the pipe in aradial direction of the pipe.